HERDS DO NOT MINGLE. 99 



DOES NOT MINGLE WITH RUSSIAN HERD. 



Page 96 of The Case. 



The Commander Islands, herd is evidently distinct and separate 

 from the Pribilof Islands herd. Its home is the 



Commander group of islands on the western Br. J. J. Allen, Vol.1, 

 side of Bering Sea, and its line of migration is p- 406. 

 westward and southward along the Asiatic coast. 



To suppose that the two herds mingle and that the same animal may 

 at one time be a member of one herd and at another time of the other, 

 is contrary to what is known of the habits of migrating animals in 

 general. 



The fur-seals of the Pribilof Islands do not mix with those of the 

 Commander and Kurile islands at any time of the 



year. In summer the two herds remain entirely Eeport of American 

 distinct, separated by a water interval of several Commissioners, p. 323 of 

 hundred miles; and in their winter migrations 27ie Case. 

 those from the Pribilof Islands follow the Amer- 

 ican coast in a southeasterly direction, whil" those from the Commander 

 and Kurile islands follow the Siberian and Japan coastsin a southwest- 

 erly direction, the two herds being separated in winter by a water in- 

 terval of several thousand miles. This regularity in the movements of 

 the different herds is in obedience to the well-known law that migratory 

 animals follow definite routes in migration and return year after year to 

 the same places to breed. Were it not for this law there would be no 

 such thing as stability of species, for interbreeding and existence under 

 diverse physiographic conditions would destroy all specific characters. 



I think the Commander Islands seals are a different body of seals 

 altogether from those of the Pribilofs, and that 

 the two herds never mingle. I think the Com- c. R. Anderson, p. 205. 

 inander Islands herd goes to the southward and 

 westward towards the Japanese coast. 



I am told and believe that the Robben Island seals can be distin- 

 guished by experts from those on the Commander 

 Islands, and am satisfied that they do not mingle jno. G. Blair, p. 193. 

 with them, and are a separate and distinct herd. 



They remain on and about the islands in large number until late in 

 the fall. I have been accustomed to leave in October or early in No- 

 vember, and seals were always plentiful at that time. I am of opinion 

 that they do not migrate to any great distance from the island during 

 the winter. A few hundred young pups are caught every winter by 

 the Japanese in nets off the north end of Yesso Island. 



I have made S'2 voyages between the Aleutian Archipelago and the 

 Commander Islands, but have never seen seals between about longi- 

 tude 170 west and 105 east. I am satisfied the Alaska seals do not mix 

 with those of Siberia. I have seen seals in winter and known of their 

 being caught upon the Asiatic side as far south as 30° north latitude. 



No vessel, to my knowledge, has ever met a band of seals in niidocean 

 in the North Pacific. I have crossed said waters 



on three different occasions, and each time kept a William Brennan,p. 358. 

 close lookout for them. 



